Showing results by author "Annie Besant" in All Categories

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent theosophist, and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various theosophical publications of her day. This piece by her, from 1912, is a short, basic introduction to mysticism through the eyes of theosophy. She writes about mysticism within Christianity and the Western Mystery Tradition in general. It's also interesting to note that she mentions the Illuminati in this piece, but in a philosophical rather than historical context, which is unusual for the time period.

Annie Besant’s magnetic eloquence is brilliantly apparent in this volume of her writings and lectures on the spiritual life. The welfare of humanity and the world around us is our utmost concern, says Besant, and the primary tool of transformation is our own consciousness. Our inner life must change if outer conditions are to be improved. Besant illuminates the way with topics such as calmness of mind, devotion, knowledge, karma, reincarnation, and Divine Law. Quotes from poetry and the world’s scriptures provide additional inspiration.

My Path to Atheism is a groundbreaking work, especially considering it was penned by a woman in Victorian England—a time when free thought was often stifled, particularly for women. It took a truly exceptional woman to write such a bold and, to many in the 19th century, heretical document in an era dominated by the Church. Annie Besant, originally married to a clergyman, experienced a profound transformation in her beliefs, ultimately leading to her legal separation and her commitment to secularism. She became a key figure in the National Secular Society and co-editor of the National ...

Join Annie Besant for a captivating exploration of Yoga through four insightful lectures designed to provide a clear outline and deepen your understanding of this ancient practice – summarized by Ritu Aarcee.

Unlock the hidden wisdom of theosophy with The Esoteric Teachings of Annie Besant, a collection of three of her most influential works: The Wisdom of the Ancients, The Seven Principles of Man, and Thought-Forms. Annie Besant, a visionary thinker and leader in the Theosophical Society, explores the profound mysteries of existence, the nature of consciousness, and the unseen forces that shape our reality.

In Occultism, Semi-Occultism and Pseudo-Occultism, Annie Besant offers a rigorous and cautionary examination of esoteric study, drawing clear distinctions between genuine occult discipline and its degraded or misleading counterparts. Writing from within the Theosophical tradition, Besant outlines the ethical, psychological, and spiritual prerequisites required for authentic occult development, while warning against partial knowledge, ego-driven experimentation, and fraudulent or sensationalized mystical practices.

Explorez les profondeurs du christianisme ésotérique avec Annie Besant, une figure centrale de la théosophie. Dans "Le christianisme ésotérique ou les mystères mineurs", Besant dévoile les enseignements cachés et les symboles mystiques qui se dissimulent derrière les doctrines chrétiennes traditionnelles.

This short account of Swami Vivekananda, the Vedantist who brought Hinduism to America, focuses on the years 1893 to 1897. After a famous speech at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, Vivekananda promoted his religious beliefs and practices by lecturing extensively across the United States, teaching and attracting devotees, producing a wealth of publications and tracts on Hinduism, encouraging vegetarianism, writing the first book on yoga to appear in America and so on, for a new and enthusiastic audience.

The subject of my discourses I have called "The Laws of the Higher Life", because so many people in dealing with religion that has to do with the Higher Life seem inclined to remove it from the realm of law, bringing it into some strange region of arbitrary whim and results without endeavor, of failure without weakness.

This little book appeals, perhaps, to the Eastern rather than to the Western type of mind, but so many souls trained in the East are now being reincarnated in the West that it may find friendly [listeners] away from the land of its birth. Addressed to a purely Hindu audience, the lectures contain many common Samskrit words, familiar to every Hindu, that may sound strange in the ears of [listeners] of other faiths

I want to put before you, if I can in these three lectures, a certain view of the world, and of the way in which that world is guided and directed. As this meeting is a public meeting, there is one statement I think that I ought to make, which it would not be necessary to make, if it were composed of members of the Theosophical Society. It is important to remember that in the Theosophical Society we have no authority on matters of opinion.

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent Theosophist, and women’s rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various Theosophical publications of her day. This particular piece dates to 1911, and she’s lecturing on Christ from an intellectual but still spiritual standpoint. She encourages us to engage in critical discussion regarding historical evidence, authenticity of records, and his nature and purpose. She also touches on the Buddha, Blavatsky, Gnosticism, the mysteries, the ascended masters, and so forth.

Annie Besant made a name for herself as a women’s rights activist, socialist, and orator. Her first public speech, “On the Political Status of Women”, launched her into the field of advocacy around which she built a career.

"Contrôlez la puissance de votre pensée." Nous rencontrons tous des épreuves difficiles dans la vie, que cela soit au niveau de notre travail, de notre ménage, de notre rapport au voisinage ou à nos amis, etc... Toutes ces difficultés peuvent-elles disparaître par le recours au pouvoir de la pensée ? Annie Besant le croie personnellement, crois vraiment qu'il est possible de matérialiser nos désirs, nos rêves, nos buts par le simple fait de contrôler nos pensées positives.

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent Theosophist and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various Theosophical publications of her day. Here she writes about the qualifications of being a disciple, what an aspirant can expect, and what types of behavior their teacher may expect of them, as well as why we shouldn't judge other aspirants as not being worthy of having a teacher and what is to be gained by the whole process.

More than 40 years prior to Bill Wilson creating the organization known as Alcoholics Anonymous, in 1892 noted spiritual author Annie Besant gave a lecture on the subject of alcoholism (published later that same year) and referred to drinking alcohol as "the alcoholic disease"! She, of course, approached the subject from a theosophical and thus spiritual standpoint. She briefly described her own history with alcohol as well as the physical and spiritual effects it has on the individual.

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent Theosophist and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various Theosophical publications of her day. This piece by her is a short lecture she gave in 1891, on the topic of Universal Brotherhood, altruism, and their importance to both, the Theosophy movement in general and members of the Theosophical Society, in particular.

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent theosophist, and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various theosophical publications of her day. This particular piece was a lecture she gave in 1893, discussing yoga, consciousness, the Atman, and a multitude of related concepts.

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent Theosophist, and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various Theosophical publications of her day. This particular piece dates to 1913, and she's writing about the Ancient Mysteries as compared to the modern religions of the world. She also discusses the Great White Brotherhood, Initiation, the Rosicrucians, Madame Blavatsky, and other related topics.

Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent Theosophist, and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various Theosophical publications of her day. This particular piece was a lecture delivered to the League of Liberal Christianity at Manchester in May of 1911, regarding a global awakening of consciousness that she felt she was witnessing at the time.